CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ga. — The Macon District Attorney's Office has cleared a Crawford County deputy to go back to work after he fatally shot a man during a domestic call last month.
District Attorney David Cooke said Lt. William Owenby was justified in shooting 33-year-old Jamie Darley, after he fired shots and threatened family members at their Richardson Mill Road home on April 27.
Over a Zoom call, Cooke went into details of the initial findings. He said deputies responded to the residence at 2570 Richardson Mill Road around 6:15 p.m.
Dispatch advised a man was armed with a gun at the location and was dangerous. Owenby and another deputy responded as backup units, Cooke said.
Before they got there, Darley had left in a white Chevrolet truck.
Once on scene, deputies spoke with Darley's family members, who said he had drank a half bottle of liquor and tried to kick in the front door of their home while armed.
Cooke said family members reported Darley had threatened to "cut (a) family member's throat" and "shoot and kill everyone inside," according to Cooke.
Witnesses reported Darley fired one or two shots into the air before taking off, Cooke said.
Deputies left in the direction of Blasingame Road after it was reported Darley's truck was spotted there, Cooke said.
Owenby saw Darley's truck on Taylors Mill Road driving in the wrong lane headed toward his patrol car. After activating his lights, he tried to stop Darley, but Darley pulled into a ditch and drove around him, Cooke said.
Darley continued on Taylors Mill Road, leading deputies on a high-speed chase back to the Richardson Mill Road property.
Cooke said during the chase, Darley tried to run deputies off the road before parking near a shed on the property.
After pulling in behind his truck, Owenby saw Darely running toward his family with a gun in his right hand, Cooke said. Darley then fired a shot at the deputy.
Knowing of Darley's past disputes with his family, Cooke said Owenby then shot and hit Darley. Deputies gave him aid at the scene, and he later died at a hospital.
Cooke said Darley's father reported that he saw his son get out of the truck and point his gun at the deputies and fire one round.
Although the investigation isn't complete, Cooke said it was clear Owenby was justified in his actions, and no charges will be filed against him.
"In a case where the facts are clear, there's no reason to delay getting this deputy back to work, during a time where law enforcement agencies are facing a shortage of officers," Cooke said.
Cooke said he looked at Owenby's record with the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, and it was "unblemished."
Cooke said a lot of Darley's family members lived on the property, including his parents and girlfriend and noted the Crawford County Sheriff's Office was familiar with him.
Cooke would not going into detail on what kind of argument led up to the incident, but said Darley was acting "very violently and irrationally" toward his family.
"It's crystal clear from what we have here that Owenby acted properly," Cooke said.
He called the incident "tragic" but is thankful no victims or deputies were injured. He said his thoughts and prayers are with Darley's family.
A complete investigation will still be done.
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